ALDI crowned as Australia’s favourite supermarket by Canstar, as shoppers reveal how they they are changing their habits

A major supermarket has been crowned Australia’s favourite – but it’s not Coles or Woolworths.

ALDI was voted the best in Australia in a recent annual survey, selected over a range of factors.

The supermarket came out on top in Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for Supermarkets, scoring its ninth consecutive win based on feedback from 2,738 shoppers.

The biggest driver of shopper satisfaction is now finding extra savings thanks to discounts and specials, rather than from the underlying price itself, the analysis found.

The Canstar research made some telling discoveries about the state of supermarkets and grocery shopping in 2026.

Unsurprisingly, the average household spend has increased this year and now stands at $245 for a household of four.

Although this is only a year-on-year increase of two per cent from 2025, it is a $58 increase from five years ago.

Shoppers appear to be taking their grocery spending into their own hands and making cuts when able to, with 81 per cent saying they have changed their habits in the last 12 months to keep costs down.

That may be why the increase in spend is slightly lower than the 3.3 per cent inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages, says Canstar.

Despite the apparent satisfaction with ALDI, shoppers across Australia have been feeling short-hanged by supermarkets across the board – citing one annoying trend.

Recent Finder data exclusively shared with News24.com.au showed that 74 per cent of shoppers are noticing ‘shrinkflation’ at supermarkets, with many feeling like they are paying the same amount for less product.

Canstar’s research found 38 per cent of shoppers say they now spend more time checking unit prices when shopping around, calculating worth per weight instead of total price.

Forty per cent of shoppers are now also cutting back on treats and snacks, buying marked-down products and switching to home brands, in a bid to cut costs.

Cross-shopping is also a growing tactic, which see shoppers visit multiple supermarkets to find the best deals on their shopping lists, instead of purchasing everything at the same place – something 65 percent of shoppers say they do.

Canstar consumer expert Eden Radford said ALDI’s win is “is an impressive achievement that demonstrates the combination of everyday low pricing, much loved home brands, and exciting weekly specials is what Australians are looking for.

“Canstar’s research has also revealed the reality of the cost pressures facing so many households, but also how savvy they have become when it comes to stretching every grocery dollar,” she said.

“Five years ago, the average weekly grocery shop for a household of four was $187. Jump forward to 2026, and that figure has increased to $245 – a whopping $3,000 more per year.”

ALDI also topped the charts as the best supermarket for meat in the 2026 Customer Satisfaction Awards unveiled by Finder earlier this month.   

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